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The Samurai Jack comics was a monthly American comic book ongoing series chronicling the travels of Samurai Jack. The comic book series follows up Season 4 of Samurai Jack of a time-displaced samurai warrior Jack in his singular quest to find a method of traveling back in time and defeating the tyrannical demonic wizard Aku.[1]

In February 2013, IDW Publishing announced a partnership with Cartoon Network to produce comics based on its properties. Samurai Jack was one of the titles announced to be published. It was further announced at WonderCon 2013 that the first issue of Samurai Jack would debut in October 2013.[2]  The first comic in the series was released October 23, 2013.[3]

Beginning with a five-issue storyline called Rope of Eons. Suriano, who designed characters for the show, reflected on returning to the popular character via press release: “Returning to Samurai Jack is such a personal experience and labor of love for me. It’s like stepping through a time portal back to characters I know as friends and a world that really launched my animation career”. The comics ended on September 2015, with 20 issues.

Plot[]

After the follow up of episode 52, we find Jack crossing the desert to find a wise old hermit living in a cave. He seeks help on his unending quest to go back in time. The sage tells him that Aku learned his mastery of time travel through an ancient relic known as the Rope of Eons. He studied it, and absorbed its power before destroying it, so others couldn't learn its secrets. However, if the strands are gathered, they can be reassembled to form a rope once again. With that Jack sets off and crosses the desert to find a remote underground Colosseum where the first strand lies.[4]

Classic Volumes[]

The Classic Volumes are series of comics based on the events that happened before and during the TV series for Samurai Jack. The 136 page collection focuses on Jack's origin story and was released November 12, 2013. Simply put, Aku the demon wizard has enslaved Jack's people. Jack inherits a mystical katana and beats Aku in battle only to be sent far into the future where Aku's grip's is all-reaching and all-powerful. Thus starts Jack's quest to journey back to his original time so he may finish what he and Aku started. The rest consists of short tales of Jack liberating others from Aku's hold, before passing along to the next town in true drifter style.[5] The artwork for the Classic Volumes is done by Ricardo Garcia Fuentes (commonly known as Micro) who also illustrated Jack in the Cartoon Network: Action Packs comic.[6] Volume 2 of the Classic Volumes is set to be released on April 22, 2014.[7] The comics ended on September 2015.

Issues[]

Samurai Jack comics overview
Issue No. Issue Title Overview Release Date
1 The Threads of Time Jack is stranded in a strange future ruled by the demonic wizard, Aku. His quest to return to the past has tested him many times, but now the stakes are higher than ever. Can an ancient relic known as the Rope of Eons finally take him home? [8] October 2013
2 The Threads of Time Jack can defeat almost any foe in single combat, but how will he fare against a pair of perfectly synchronized warriors who can exploit his every weakness?[9] November 2013
3 The Threads of Time Jack's travels bring him to a village filled with tension and mystery. Can he discover the town's strange secret before Aku's robotic army invades? Our samurai hero's quest to gather the Threads of Time continues.[10] December 2013
4 The Threads of Time A mystic queen of great power and beauty accepts no criticism, especially from a lowly wandering samurai. Can Jack find another one of the Threads of Time before he's imprisoned for royal heresy?[11] January 2014
5 The Threads of Time Martial artists, warriors, nobles, monsters and more... Samurai Jack has defeated them all in his quest to gather the Threads of Time. Now, one last strand remains in the lair of Aku the demon wizard. Can Jack defeat his greatest foe and return to the past?[12] February 2014
6 The Scotsman's Curse The return of the Scotsman! The humungous highland hooligan and the stoically stalwart samurai team up once again! This time they battle against a bizarre mystic curse that—okay, that part's a secret but trust us, it's a doozy![13] March 2014
7 Samurai Jacqueline and the Scotswoman  Samurai Jacqueline and the Scotswoman fight giants and wee folk alike as they struggle to free themselves from the gender-bending curse of the leprechauns. April 2014
8 The Caves of Crystal Calamity Jack reflects on his odyssey to return to the past, but he won't like what he finds staring back at him. A special silent issue illustrated by Samurai Jack character designer Andy Suriano! May 2014
9 The Villainous Vortex The Samurai Jack saga continues at IDW! How can our time-traveling samurai defeat a foe that controls the forces of gravity? Get ready for a comic-reading experience like no other in this dizzying battle-tastic issue! June 2014
10 Brain Battalion Samurai Jack’s adventures continue at IDW! The war without has been a failure for Aku, so now it’s time to wage the war within! Can Jack overcome an opponent who unravels the thoughts and memories that make him a samurai? July 2014
11 The Quest of the Broken Blade Part One After the Threads of Time failed to return Jack back to the past, he searches for a new way to return to his rightful era. But will Jack be willing to risk his magical blade in order to open a new portal to the past? August 2014
12 The Quest of the Broken Blade Part Two Aku senses Jack’s unexpected new flaw and calls forth a manhunt like no other. Soldiers, monsters, and bounty hunters scour the land for the weakened samurai warrior. Is anywhere safe? September 2014
13 The Quest of the Broken Blade Part Three  Weak and exhausted, the fugitive samurai known only as "Jack" is running out of hope. Will anyone come to his aid or is this the end of his lifelong mission? The "Quest of the Broken Blade" storyline kicks into high gear! October 2014
14 The Quest of the Broken Blade Part Four Jack is tested by power greater than any he has ever faced before. Can he prove himself worthy and regain his strength? The epic "Quest of the Broken Blade" storyline continues! November 2014
15 The Quest of the Broken Blade Part Five  Jack faces Aku in one-on-one combat and both are determined to make it their final battle. Past and present collide in this epic conclusion to the "Quest of the Broken Blade" storyline. Don't miss it! December 2014
16 Master of Time Part One A prophet calling himself the "Master of Time" hides within a compound crawling with untold monsters and deadly traps. Jack the Samurai will need to become Jack the Infiltrator if he hopes to gain an audience with the mysterious master. January 2015
17 Master of Time Part Two Jack and the Thief team-up to discover the mysteries of the secretive man known only as the "Master of Time." Is this finally the way home for our solemn samurai? March 2015
18 The Fallen Four Andy Suriano takes the reins and brings fans a Samurai Jack tale unlike any other! As Jack stumbles upon the site of great battle, grave-robbing witches brings back the spirits of the dead to defeat the samurai warrior! April 2015
19 Mad Mutts of Mistery Jack reunites with the team of dapper archaeological dogs as they search for their canine ancestry, but the secrets they fetch will leave them howling! May 2015
20 Mako the Scribe A scribe named Mako has heard many strange stories of the great hero known only as "Jack". Mako's journey to record the truth of the samurai reveals a fascinating look at his legacy and possible future: Jack the King. Jack the General. Jack the Legend. June 2015

Appearance in Other Comics[]

Title Issue(s) Release Date(s)
Cartoon Network: Action Packs[14] 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20 July 2006 - February 2008
Cartoon Network: Super Sampler[15] 1 October 2013

Trivia[]

  • Despite being based directly on the show, Genndy Tartakovsky commented in an interview regarding the fifth season that he does not consider the comics to be canon with the series.[16]

References[]

  1. Template:Cite episode
  2. http://www.idwpublishing.com/news/article/2507/
  3. http://read.idwpublishing.com/Samurai-Jack-1/digital-comic/49614
  4. Samurai Jack: Issue 1: Plot (Review)
  5. [1] Samurai Jack: Classic Volumes (review on Flickering Myths)
  6. Comicartfans.com Ricardo Garcia Fuentes | Accessed: 2014-02-08
  7. Samurai Jack: Classic Volumes 2 on Amazon
  8. Issue 1: Samurai Jack - Released: October, 2013
  9. Issue 2: Samurai Jack - Released: November, 2013
  10. Issue 3: Samurai Jack - Released: December, 2013
  11. Issue 4: Samurai Jack - Released: January, 2014 (On JimZub.com)
  12. Issue 5: Samurai Jack - Released: February, 2014 (On JimZub.com)
  13. Issue 6: Samurai Jack - Released: March, 2014 (On JimZub.com)
  14. Action Packs: Cartoon Network on ComicVine (July, 2006 - February 2008)
  15. Super Sampler: Cartoon Network on ComicVine (October, 2013)
  16. Template:Cite web

External Links[]

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